As the high-protein dairy sector continues to boom, food innovators face a formulation challenge: achieving an authentic dairy taste without increasing a product’s fat content. Synergy Flavors has launched an Astringency Masking solution designed to enhance taste and texture in high-protein dairy products.

The extracts, flavorings, and taste modulation company’s new range reduces the perception of astringency and chalkiness that often affects protein-enriched dairy foods. Using the extracts allows the desired flavor to come through, giving a creamy mouthfeel.

The new solution targets high-protein products, such as yogurts, which can be challenging due to an astringent taste that causes tangy, acidic off-notes.

Sustainability, personalization, and health-conscious consumption drive innovation in flavors as consumers seek complex, authentic tastes with functional benefits. We spoke in depth with Synergy Flavors earlier this week to understand how these evolving trends inspire creative, experiential flavor solutions.

Overcoming taste challenges

The new Synergy taste modulation solution was developed using analytical techniques to identify and quantify primary aroma and taste compounds in a typical high-protein yogurt, and to pinpoint compounds that present a particular flavor challenge. 

Sensory methodologies and insights gained from analytical data, obtained through Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry analysis, are utilized to develop taste modulators within specific food matrices. These modulators mask challenging tastes and aromas, enhancing desirable flavor and textural attributes to create the desired end product. 

Synergy Flavors conducted a blind taste test comparing a high-protein vanilla yogurt control to a high-protein vanilla yogurt with the Synergy Astringency Masking solution. The test showed 87% of the panel characterized the yogurt with the Synergy solution as creamier in both mouthfeel and flavor, while 70% of people noted improved acidity levels and reduced astringency.

“Primary consumer research conducted by Synergy Flavors found that 75% of UK respondents experienced taste challenges with existing high-protein yogurts on the market, citing astringency, artificial flavor, chalkiness, and dry mouthfeel as particular issues,” says Jamie Blake, European category development manager at Synergy Flavors.

“It is clear that taste modulation is a critical part of product design, particularly when adding new functionality to classic products. With consumers increasingly unwilling to sacrifice taste for functionality, taste challenges need to be addressed from the outset.”

“The Synergy Astringency Masking Flavor solution helps eliminate flavor challenges in high-protein dairy, while also delivering the indulgent creamy texture of classic dairy products with no undesirable off-notes,” adds Blake.